


five times hun thought he was in love and the one time he knew for sure

by zombiepops



Series: [blank] plus one fics [4]
Category: N.Flying (Band)
Genre: 5+1 Things, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:34:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 3,469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25524451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zombiepops/pseuds/zombiepops
Summary: But Jaehyun doesn’t say anything. A grin appears on his face and he’s laughing, howling so much that he barely breathes and Hun can’t help but laugh along. Jaehyun’s laugh is contagious and it melts all the anxiety from his bones. It’s the kind of laughter that seems like it’s gone until it ebbs back up again, and the two of them seem to forget about the dishes without breaking into a fit of giggles. Hun likes his laugh, likes the way it makes him feel at ease in this stressful situation.“Fuck it, let’s leave it for the opening crew,” Jaehyun eventually says. He wipes a tear from his eyes, clutching his gut and doubling over with laughter. “Working with you is gonna be fun, I can already tell! You hungry?”+“So,  how was it for your first day?” Jaehyun asks. They’re both sitting at a diner, sipping milkshakes and eating french fries. Hun can’t help but laugh.They both work at an ice cream parlor, they could have just made shakes there, but Hun just smiles.“Alright,” Hun replies. “A little hectic at the front counter, but I’ll manage!”“Just remember I’ll be there with you,” Jaehyun affirms.  He puts his thumb up. “You don’t have to worry about being alone.”
Relationships: Cha Hoon/Kim Jaehyun
Series: [blank] plus one fics [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1642699
Comments: 5
Kudos: 30





	1. the fnc cafe




They’re both nineteen when they first meet. Hun is training for his first ever summer job, not because he needs money in any capacity, but because he needs a place to go when everything gets too hectic for him back at home. 

Jaehyun is the shift supervisor, having worked at the FNC Cafe for a long time. He’s a little too attractive to be nice as he lets off. 

“Ah, you’re the new guy?” Jaehyun asks, looking up from his clipboard with a smile. 

“Yeah,” Hun says. He feels just a bit burdened by the soft and warm look in the brown eyes looking back at him. It makes him feel shy. 

“Cool! Let me show you around!” 

Hun quickly finds out that he’s not cut out for front counter duty. As Jaehyun brings him from station to station, he manages to mess up almost every part of the process, but Jaehyun never gets mad at him. Well, not seriously mad anyway. He corrects Hun gently and laughs, working with him until he can get it right on his own. 

Eventually, it gets closer to closing time. With that comes another brief training lesson in washing dishes with the sprayer hose. 

“Alright, so dishwashing.” Jaehyun motions to the sudsy sink. It’s piled high with dirty dishes and Hun stares in horror. “I always save it for last because it’s absolutely the worst. I hate it normally, but now that there’s two of us, it should be easier than me doing it alone.” 

Jaehyun detached the hose with ease, passing it to Hun who eyed it carefully. He’s never used one of these before--only water, a sponge, and some dishwashing gloves, but never this fancy detachable hose--but he wonders if it’s as hard as he’s thinking it’s going to be. He observes it carefully, moving it around in his hands before squeezing the trigger. Hard. 

It was a mistake, Hun knew that for sure. 

Everything seems to move in slow motion, and Hun realizes the mistake he’s made far too late to do anything about it. He whips his head to the side and sees that Jaehyun’s shirt was absolutely soaked and then he looks down at his own equally wet shirt. 

Hun freezes. He’s ready to be fired. Ready to be sent home for shooting a stream of water at the manager--at _Jaehyun_. 

Suddenly, it feels like Hun can’t breathe. He looks at Jaehyun and how his mouth, against all possible odds, begins to curl up into a grin. 

“Okay, it would be a little too porno of me to take off my shirt right now, right?” Hun doesn’t know what to say, exactly, and as seconds pass between them, Hun wonders if Jaehyun is just going to say it.

Hun wonders if Jaehyun will fire him on the spot for this mishap. If he did, Hun wouldn't be surprised. 

But Jaehyun doesn’t say anything. A grin appears on his face and he’s laughing, howling so much that he barely breathes and Hun can’t help but laugh along. Jaehyun’s laugh is contagious and it melts all the anxiety from his bones. It’s the kind of laughter that seems like it’s gone until it ebbs back up again, and the two of them seem to forget about the dishes without breaking into a fit of giggles. Hun likes his laugh, likes the way it makes him feel at ease in this stressful situation. 

“Fuck it, let’s leave it for the opening crew,” Jaehyun eventually says. He wipes a tear from his eyes, clutching his gut and doubling over with laughter. “Working with you is gonna be fun, I can already tell! You hungry?” 

+

“So, how was it for your first day?” Jaehyun asks. They’re both sitting at a diner, sipping milkshakes and eating french fries. Hun can’t help but laugh. 

They both work at an ice cream parlor, they could have just made shakes there, but Hun just smiles. 

“Alright,” Hun replies. “A little hectic at the front counter, but I’ll manage!” 

“Just remember I’ll be there with you,” Jaehyun affirms. He puts his thumb up. “You don’t have to worry about being alone.”


	2. cafeteria

2.

A few months go by. 

It’s the beginning of his first year in his new college, and he's celebrating this first day with a paper cup with soup and a sick feeling in his stomach. Jaehyun is there, chatting it up with people Hun doesn't know. 

Hun turns away. He was prepared for something like this to happen. In fact, things like this have always happened to him. He'd spent late nights in the summer with Jaehyun, so the dull reality of a school setting didn't have to break the illusion for Hun to know that Jaehyun has more friends than just him.

He quickly heads towards the exit, wondering if he'll be able to find a nice spot in the library or maybe outside by the bleachers to enjoy his food alone. He's almost out when a hand clasps on his shoulder.

"What? Summer's over and you're too cool for me now?" It's Jaehyun. He knows it for sure and even before Hun turns to face him he knows Jaehyun is grinning. "Come with me! My friends have been wanting to meet you for ages!"

Hun doubts that, but he allows himself to be led to Jaehyun’s lunch table where all his friends have gathered around. 

“So, this is the guy we’ve been hearing so much about,” says an unfamiliar short-haired brunette with a suggestive grin plastered on his face. Hun returns the stare with discomfort. 

“Can it, Hweseung,” Jaehyun says, but there’s no malice behind it. Hun makes a mental note--small brunette that wears a sweater vest even if it’s hot outside is Hweseung--to remember the other boy’s name. “Everyone, this is Hun. Hun, this is...well..everyone.” 

The group greets him with a chorus of _hi’s._ Their introductions are brief and to the point. Hweseung sits to his right, a year younger than him and full of this chaotic energy that amplifies when he’s around Jaehyun. He’s a performance major and has a damn good voice, if Hun could judge anything about him. Across from him is Seunghyub, a man working towards his masters in fine arts. Seunghyub is the RA for Jaehyun’s dorm building and is Hweseung’s boyfriend. Kwangjin, the brooding one with long hair, waves at him politely. It’s Seunghyub that tells him he’s graduating next month, and that he’ll be off to produce music in an agency and that he’ll have no free time at all, clutching his heart like the pain of one of his friends getting a job hurt him so much. 

Their smiles are just as contagious and joyful as Jaehyun’s, but he notices the glances that are passed back and forth between the four of them. He wonders if he’s intruding on a game that already had the perfect amount of players. He wonders if he’s going to get pushed to the sidelines like always. 

But sitting with them allows him to feel at ease. 

Sooner or later though, Hun would have to get to his next class. He reaches for his styrofoam cup, but notices that Jaehyun has already picked it up. “Hey, it’s alright,” Jaehyun says. He grabs Hun’s styrofoam soup cup and puts it on top of his tray. “I got you!” 

“Thanks,” Hun replies.


	3. meeting the family

3.

A year and a half goes by. 

Hun is sitting at Jaehyun’s sister’s dining room table, experiencing his first ever Chuseok that wasn’t his father smashing plates due to the discontentment in his own life or his mother drinking half her weight in alcohol. Jaehyun is to his left, animatedly finding ways to squeeze in the fact that Hun plays guitar into every subject that they talk about. 

It’s amazing. He wishes the ones back at home were like this. 

Jaehyun has a way of making Hun's heart beat fast, and now knowing that he's meeting Jaehyun's sister makes him feel like he was meeting the family.

“Hun,” Jaekyung says suddenly, with a tone a little too sharp and commanding for the friendly atmosphere. He wonders what he’s done so wrong. “Can you help me clear the table?” 

Hun stands without thinking, gathering empty plates, and watches as Jaehyun stands up too. “No,” Jaekyung says, “Jaehyun, sit down. Hun’s helping, I’ll be fine.” 

“But Jaekyung! He’s the guest!” Jaehyun whines. “Why is he helping with dishes when he could be sitting with me watching movies?”

“Jaehyun.” 

Jaehyun huffs, falling back into his seat with a defeated huff. Anxiety pumps through his blood and Hun can feel his heart beating a million times per second. He’s never been good around parental figures, or siblings, considering how shit his family was. Even though Kim Jaekyung has been nothing but kind to him, Hun still feels his palms turning clammy as he grips a stack of dishes and follows the oldest Kim to the kitchen. 

“Hun-ah,” Jaekyung says, conversationally, as they reach the sink. He carefully places the dishes on the left side, waiting anxiously for Jaekyung to say something. He’s waiting anxiously to figure out if Jaekyung has realized that he has a crush on her brother and he’s waiting patiently for Jaekyung to not accept who he is. 

That’s most of the arguments at his house anyway. 

Jaekyung clears her throat before speaking again, a simple “are you enjoying yourself,” spilling from her lips. Hun nods quickly. It’s the truth, but Hun’s appearance might make it seem otherwise. “Is this like Thanksgiving you have back at your home?” she asks. 

“Yeah.” That’s a real lie. Thanksgiving back at his house is just called Thursday and it’s without all the pleasantries and exchanges of kindness. Thanksgiving at his house was everyone staying in their rooms, as far away as possible from each other so they don’t have an explosive fight. 

“I see,” Jaekyung sighs. “I’m going to tell you straight up Hun. Jaehyun is intelligent in some ways, but downright dumb in others. He has a hard time catching onto certain signs, and I have a feeling you’re giving one off that he might not understand yet.” Hun furrows his brows. “I’m not telling you this because I think you’re malicious or have malicious intent towards him,” Jaekyung sighs. “Since he has these attachment issues, he's been hurt before so if you have to let him down please, do it gently. Sometimes he’ll cling so hard just to be let down so much.” She sets the dishware into the sink. “I’m afraid he’ll break if _you’re_ the one who lets him down. He talks the most about you.” 

“If you don’t mind me asking,” Hun asks, “What do you mean by that?” 

“You don’t know why he’s living here, do you?” She sighs. “I mean, it wasn’t his fault, but-”

“Hey, I was beginning to think that Jaekyung ran you out,” Jaehyun exclaims, beaming at the sight of Hun. “What movie do you want to watch? I was thinking ``Nightmare Before Christmas``.” Hun is relieved to be free, he really is.The weight of he and Jaekyung’s seemingly awkward conversation has melted away and he turns on his heel to face Jaehyun. 

“Of course,” Hun replies. He lets Jaehyun drag him to the couch and sits right beside him. “Let’s do it.”

Suddenly, Jaekyung’s strange words are forgotten. 


	4. Chapter 4

4.

They’re halfway done with junior year of college. Hun is bundled underneath the thick covers of his bed and his lights are off. He wishes the bed would swallow him whole. 

He hopes Jaehyun doesn’t show up. He doesn’t want to talk. 

Jaehyun is pounding on the door as hard and as ferociously as he had when he started five minutes ago. “Hey! Hun-ah! I know you’re in there!” \

Hun doesn’t move. Eventually, Jaehyun would have to give up, right?

“Could you shut up and stop banging on the door?” Hun hears the faint voice of his neighbors from down the hall. 

“Piss off,” Jaehyun sasses. Hun hears the excessive banging on his door yet again. “Cha Hun!” 

Ignoring Jaehyun isn’t going to work, Hun realizes. 

“Go away, Jaehyun,” Hun shouts, voice cracking, hoping it will do the trick but instead of leaving, the knocks grow louder. 

“I’m not leaving until you tell me what’s going on!” 

“I’m calling the RA,” Hun’s neighbor says. 

“Would you kindly shut the actual fuck up?” Jaehyun sasses back. “Hun, your neighbors are getting pissed, you might want to let me in.” 

“Jaehyun please--” 

“I can and will do this all night.” 

Hun knows that Jaehyun can. He musters the strength to roll out of bed, wrapped in his blankets, opening the door just a crack. Of course, Jaehyun sees an inch and takes a mile. He flings the door open, flicking on the light on his way in. His triumphant expression turns into a look of concern when he takes in the dump that is Hun’s room and then Hun himself, who looks like he hasn’t bathed or seen sunlight in god knows how long. 

“Please tell me what’s wrong, Hun.” Jaehyun pleads. “I haven’t seen you in a long time, and you haven’t answered my calls. Did I do something?” 

“No.” Hun says. He grabs his blanket and curls up into it. 

Jaehyun doesn’t hound him for information. Instead, he looks around the room and starts cleaning. He throws the pile of dirty laundry in the basket and takes the used coffee mug and cereal bowls, opening the window to let in some air. 

"Hun?" Jaehyun tries again. 

Hun pulls his bed covers over his head. Suddenly, Hun feels the mattress give, and knows that Jaehyun is right beside him. He can feel Jaehyun maneuvering himself so that he’s just a tad bit beneath him, positioning Hun’s head to rest comfortably against his chest. Only here, speaking to mounds of blankets and his best friend, can Hun muster up the courage to admit what is trapping him.

“It’s Nayoung,” he admits. 

It's just enough to slam open the floodgates Hun had desperately tried to keep closed. He sobs manically against Jaehyun's t-shirt, knowing he's going to leave damp stains on that grey shirt. Jaehyun doesn't seem to mind. In fact, Jaehyun pulls him closer. He rubs Hun's back, telling him to let all the tears out. He murmurs promises like, "it's okay, it's alright, I promise everything will be fine".

“I don’t even know what’s worse, Jaehyun,” he says with a sniff. “Getting cheated on and dumped, or crying about it. I’m a pathetic idiot.”

“No, no, hey,” Jaehyun says, squeezing Hun as tightly as he could without hurting him. “You’re not an idiot. You’re amazing.” 

“You must be happy, though. I know you hated her.” 

“No,” Jaehyun replies. Hun knows that it’s at least a half-truth. “No, I’m not. How could I be happy seeing you so sad?” Hun sighs. He rests his head on Jaehyun’s chest, content with the other boy’s fingers running through his hair. “But...you deserve better, Cha Hun.” Jaehyun mumbles. “She was never good to you. She was always lashing out at you for nothing, always putting you down and making you feel bad about yourself. You deserve better, Hun.” 

Hun wishes it wasn’t the truth, but it was. Nayoung and Jaehyun were seemingly identical in terms of personality and perseverance. But patience. Jaehyun had a special kind of patience, one made specifically for him, that made Jaehyun perfect for him. 

Jaehyun was the better he was talking about. But Hun wasn’t so sure he deserved him.


	5. Chapter 5

It’s his going away party and Jaehyun is sitting there, pouting like an angry teenager. Seunghyub and Hweseung are staring awkwardly between the both of them and everything is uncomfortable.

He’s normally not this confrontational, but Hun’s had enough. 

“What’s your problem?” Hun snaps. He steps into the kitchen and looks Jaehyun square in the eye. 

“ _My_ problem?” Jaehyun bites back. “I don’t have a problem, Hun. It’s nothing-” 

“Yeah, _your_ problem,” Hun replies. “You’ve been an ass since I told you I was leaving. Can’t you even pretend to like me until I leave or something? Or are you just waiting for me to leave because you hate me now?” 

Jaehyun’s anger slides towards defense. “That’s not really what you think about me, is it?” 

“Well, what am I supposed to think when you’ve been acting like a jerk?” 

“Me? What about _you_ , huh?” Jaehyun argues back. “You’re acting like you just can’t fucking wait to leave me behind. Did you take this job to avoid me or something? You didn’t even tell me until _I_ came over and saw all your shit in boxes, dude. I thought we were best friends-”

“I took this job because it’s a paycheck, Jaehyun,” Hun replies. “We’re still friends, we’re still going to hang out whenever we can, and I’ll be back for holidays. I don’t get what your problem is, my choice has nothing to do with you.”

“That’s the problem!” Jaehyun’s voice is so loud it resonates in Hun’s skull. 

Hun takes a deep breath before speaking calmly. "One more night, Kim Jaehyun. One more night and I'll be out of your hair. Then you won't ever have to deal with me ever again. I'll be in New York for work so you can just forget about me."

Jaehyun stares at him, slowly giving him a shake of the head. "You have no idea, do you? You're really _that_ clueless?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I don't want to forget you! Are you seriously thinking that's what this is about?" 

“Then what is it about?” 

Jaehyun is seething. "Hun, you took a job halfway across the fucking country and you didn't even bother to-to tell me? Or to ask me if I wanted to go with you? And I'm supposed to be happy? I'm supposed to forget you? I can’t do that." 

Hun stares blankly at Jaehyun. “Well, what do you want to do, move there with me?” 

“Yes,” Jaehyun says, "I'd gladly move with you!"

“Move with me?” Hun replies, “Why would you-”

“Because I love you, Cha Hun,” Jaehyun replies. “I’d follow you to the ends of the earth if you’d let me.” Jaehyun looks at this feet, “But you don’t want that. You’ve made it clear. And even though I respect your decision, doesn’t mean that I’m not upset about it--” 

“Since when?” Hun asks abruptly, causing Jaehyun to look up at him. “Since when have you loved me?” 

“Well,” Jaehyun replies, “Since we first became friends.”

  
  



	6. Chapter 6

\+ 1

It's a little past nine, twenty years down the line. Hun wakes up to the sound of the ending credits to Shrek, with Jaehyun's forehead pressed against his shoulder blade and Chaewon, their daughter, nestled between them. She's drooling a bit on Jaehyun's shirt and Hun can't help but smile.

When he thinks back to that summer job he had back in school, he didn’t know it would turn out like this. He didn’t think that his love for Jaehyun would be requited, he didn’t think they’d get married, and they most certainly didn’t think that they would adopt a child together. All of that happens as an afterthought, but Hun is happy that it does. 

His life couldn’t have turned out any better, if he were honest. 

He moves slowly as he possibly can to untangle himself from the two sleeping beauties. Freed, Hun grabs the remote and switches off the television. There's a bowl of unpopped popcorn kernels in front of them that Hun goes to clean, carrying the bowl into the kitchen as quietly as possible so as to not disturb Chaewon’s sleep. 

He can’t help the glance he takes at Jaehyun and their daughter, not when the rambunctious duo are finally stilled even for a moment. The years have been good to them, Hun can’t help but think. The little golden wedding band seems to say as much..

Some things ever change, however, because Jaehyun stirs awake in Hun’s absence. 

"Hi handsome," Jaehyun whispers, careful not to move a single muscle.

"Hey yourself," Hun replies. 

"You need help with that bowl?" He flicks his nose toward the bowl, looking at Hun with a smile. 

"Don't worry about it, I got it." Hun looks at Jaehyun’s lap. "Let Chae sleep for a little longer. If you move, she’ll definitely wake up.."

Jaehyun grins, then puckers his lips. It’s a facial expression akin to a fish, but it’s more than endearing to see it all over again. Hun rolls his eyes and leans over, placing a kiss on Jaehyun’s lips like he’s confessing his love all over again.  I t’s amazing, and Hun knows that it’s all he’s ever wanted. 


End file.
